Psalms 49
1 Unto the end, a psalm for the sons of Core. Hear these things, all ye nations: give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world.
To the Overseer. — By sons of Korah. A Psalm. Hear this, all ye peoples, Give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world.
2 All you that are earthborn, and you sons of men: both rich and poor together.
Both low and high, together rich and needy.
3 My mouth shall speak wisdom: and the meditation of my heart understanding.
My mouth speaketh wise things, And the meditations of my heart [are] things of understanding.
4 I will incline my ear to a parable; I will open my proposition on the psaltery.
I incline to a simile mine ear, I open with a harp my riddle:
5 Why shall I fear in the evil day? the iniquity of my heel shall encompass me.
Why do I fear in days of evil? The iniquity of my supplanters doth compass me.
6 They that trust in their own strength, and glory in the multitude of their riches,
Those trusting on their wealth, And in the multitude of their riches, Do shew themselves foolish.
7 No brother can redeem, nor shall man redeem: he shall not give to God his ransom,
A brother doth no one at all ransom, He doth not give to God his atonement.
8 Nor the price of the redemption of his soul: and shall labour for ever,
And precious [is] the redemption of their soul, And it hath ceased — to the age.
9 And shall still live unto the end.
And still he liveth for ever, He seeth not the pit.
10 He shall not see destruction, when he shall see the wise dying: the senseless and the fool shall perish together: And they shall leave their riches to strangers:
For he seeth wise men die, Together the foolish and brutish perish, And have left to others their wealth.
11 And their sepulchres shall be their houses for ever. Their dwelling places to all generations: they have called their lands by their names.
Their heart [is]: Their houses [are] to the age, Their tabernacles to all generations. They proclaimed their names over the lands.
12 And man when he was in honour did not understand; he is compared to senseless beasts, and is become like to them.
And man in honour doth not remain, He hath been like the beasts, they have been cut off.
13 This way of theirs is a stumblingblock to them: and afterwards they shall delight in their mouth.
This their way [is] folly for them, And their posterity with their sayings are pleased. (Selah)
14 They are laid in hell like sheep: death shall feed upon them. And the just shall have dominion over them in the morning; and their help shall decay in hell from their glory. (Sheol h7585)
As sheep for Sheol they have set themselves, Death doth afflict them, And the upright rule over them in the morning, And their form [is] for consumption. Sheol [is] a dwelling for him. (Sheol h7585)
Only, God doth ransom my soul from the hand of Sheol, For He doth receive me. (Selah) (Sheol h7585)
16 Be not thou afraid, when a man shall be made rich, and when the glory of his house shall be increased.
Fear not, when one maketh wealth, When the honour of his house is abundant,
17 For when he shall die he shall take nothing away; nor shall his glory descend with him.
For at his death he receiveth nothing, His honour goeth not down after him.
18 For in his lifetime his soul will be blessed: and he will praise thee when thou shalt do well to him.
For his soul in his life he blesseth, (And they praise thee when thou dost well for thyself.)
19 He shall go in to the generations of his fathers: and he shall never see light.
It cometh to the generation of his fathers, For ever they see not the light.
20 Man when he was in honour did not understand: he hath been compared to senseless beasts, and made like to them.
Man in honour, who understandest not, Hath been like the beasts, they have been cut off!
